Photo Finish
November Edition!
Contents i. Sires With First Foals - Michelle Kinane ii. Bin And Gone? - Neil Watson iii. Frankelwatch: Turf Talk iv. Champions Day: Fausta Poskute v. Interview With Megan Devine vi. UAE Racing Is Back - Ashley Cliff vii. 10 To Follow - Stephen Molyneux viii. Tatts Book One - Gleneagles ix. Connochie Corner - Callum Connochie
Sires With First Foals No Nay Never 2011 B.C by Scat Daddy x Cat’s Eye Witness (Elusive Quality) Group 1 Wins Prix Morny Coolmore
Olympic Glory 2010 B.C by Choisir x Acidanthera (Alzao) Group 1 Wins Prix Jean Luc Lagadere, QEII, Prix De La Foret Haras De Bouqoutot
No Nay Never is an exciting new addition to the European ranks. He remains the only son of his late sire to stand in Europe and his first foals should be hot property this season. A leading European 2yo remaining unbeaten to win the Group 1 Prix Morny. He had previously posted a record time in the Group 2 Norfolk stakes at Royal Ascot. He returned to the States where he was placed in the Group 1 Breeders Cup Sprint as a 3yo. He is by leading 2yo Scat Daddy, a son of former world champion 2yo Johannesburg. He is the perfect cross for Green Desert line mares.
Olympic Glory was a triple Group 1 winner from two to four years. He was a winner on his debut before being runner up in the Coventry stakes to Dawn Approach on just his second start. He then won the Group 2 Superlative stakes and Group 3 Vintage stakes before being bought privately by Al Shaqab racing where he won the Group 1 Lagadere, in the process being one of the leading 2yo’s of his generation. He is a son of Choisir and is out of the winning Acidanthera. He is the best foal produced from his dam. Olympic Glory is an exciting addition to the French breeding ranks. He looks well suited to mares by leading french sires Linamix and Kendargent.
Mukhadram 2009 B.C by Shamardal x Magic Tree (Timber Country) Group 1 Wins. Eclipse stakes Nunery Stud (Shadwell) This horse has been very consistent all through his racing. Before his Group 1 victory, he had also been a dual Group winner. Mukhadram was also placed in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales & Dubai World Cup. He is by leading young sire and emerging sire of sires Shamardal. He is out of Magic Tree. She herself is a ½ sister to Group 1 winners Kirkless & Mastery. Mukhadram is excellent value for breeders at £7,000 and is sure to be well supported. He is a nice match for Danehill and Sadler’s Wells mares. It is well worth noting that his paternal ½ brother Lope De Vega sired Group 1 winner Belardo from a Danehill mare from his first crop. Mares by Green Desert & Nayef could also be considered.
“It is well worth noting that his paternal ½ brother Lope De Vega sired Group 1 winner Belardo from a Danehill mare from his first crop.”
Bin And Gone? The younger generation probably think they are uncool to be seen with, whereas the older generation probably don’t go racing without them. Now before you stop reading thinking this is some sort of rant against immorality and holidays in certain well known resorts I am taking about something else, Binoculars! Go racing these days and for me they are a part of what I need to enjoy the day, Binoculars, Racing Post, Racecard, Pen, Cash and depending on the weather some sort of head wear. Over the past twenty years or so in racing, certainly at the major festivals but even more so at the smaller courses we have seen the big screen being part of the fabric of the racing experience but for me nothing beats being stood in the stand or down by the rail if it’s a sprint race and watching the race through a pair of binoculars come rain or shine. For me you get a different perspective from watching it, where as the big screen tends to focus on the main body of the runners, with the bins you watch the race with your own eyes and not through somebody else’s, you see the race in a different way.
“With the bins you watch the race with your own eyes and not through somebody else’s, you see the race in a different way.”
Watching some courses on the telly like Brighton on the flat and Towcester or Carlisle over jumps you do notice the up and down nature of them but being there on course and watching through the bins you get to appreciate the true toughness as your head moves up and down as well as from side to side as you focus on what is going on, anyone who has been at Carlisle in winter will know only too well how much a horse has to work when it’s very testing. Personally I love mine,I don’t just take them go racing with me but to other sports like athletics,especially at the Olympic Stadium in London where they are vital if you are up in the gods,Rowing at Eton College in 2013 which essentially was like being at an aqua version of Newmarket with all races over a straight 2000m or 1m2f in proper distance! and at Old Trafford (the cricket one that is) when I visited their in the summer to watch the first two days of Lancashire v Warwickshire. For any younger racing fans reading this I would urge you to make sure you have a pair for when you next frequent the track, paying your money then looking up at a big telly is one thing but watching it slowly come into view from the main stand is one of the greatest feelings this sport can give you. Horse racing is one of the greatest sports that their is and for me when I first started going I was fascinated by seeing people walking around with huge collections of metal and cardboard badges swinging off binocular cases,they had a walking history of someone’s racing life with the occasional spot of badges from other events like Wimbledon or other equine sports like show jumping or polo. So go out and buy a pair of these wonderful pieces of equipment for your racing adventures,not the same sort that the much missed Sir Peter used, for a start you would need to find a U-Boat which isn’t all that easy in the industrial north for me,but wether it’s a specialist shop or some more of the well known ones like that website named after a famous forest then please nip on and see what they have and keep this great tradition going when you next go racing.
Frankelwatch: Gosden’s Cracksman wins on debut THE name “Cracksman” was trending on Twitter barely minutes after trainer John Gosden’s two-year-old colt by Frankel became his sire’s 17th individual winner in a Maiden Stakes over 1600m at Newmarket, Wednesday. Another Frankel colt, Alfawaris finished third for the Owen Burrows stable. Cracksman also became the latest Frankel colt to be quoted for the 2017 Investec Derby. The likes of Atty Persse, Frankuus and Gosden’s Seven Heavens are among the Frankel offspring already in the ante-post market for the Epsom showpiece. Although being eyeballed late on by fellow newcomer Wild Tempest, the 9-2 winner showed his appetite for a battle to forge on and take the spoils by a length and a quarter. Cracksman is at 33-1 for the Derby by both Paddy Power and BetVictor, with RaceBets going 40-1.
Gosden said: “He’s next year’s horse and that’s it for this season. He’s a grand horse and has done nothing but grow. He’s still very unfurnished. He found himself in front too soon, but luckily he still won as he had the rail to run with. “We’ll go straight up to a mile and a quarter and that is where his strengths will lie. He gives me the feeling he’s more of a mile-and-a-quarter horse and we could see him going for a nice conditions race at Newbury in the spring.” Cracksman, a half-brother to Gr3 winner Fantastic Moon, is owned by Anthony Oppenheimer.
Champions Day This year’s Champions Day at Ascot was as early as 9 a.m. start at the racecourse for me and other racemakers. Basically, racemakers are the people who helps people to find places in the racecourse, identify a possible winner in the paddock, lay bets or just to get racegoers more involved in racing and answer the questions. This job is volunteering role, but it is rewarding when you want to add this on your CV or just for making connections. Trying racemaker’s role for the first time I found it very enjoyable, as I kept myself busy welcoming people coming to the racecourse, having a chat with some foreign people who are visiting Ascot for the first time, but been involved in racing for a few years. Additionally, I never used twitter that much on one day! I hope this will turn out somehow useful. Raceday started with parade of Corrine de Barbe beloved gelding Cirrus Des Aigles parade with his main jockey on top Cristophe Soumillon. It is amazing how much money this racehorse has made in his racing career (over 6mln pounds), especially knowing what his stallion is used for National Hunt purpose. The more amazing is how much this horse is loved by his trainer Corine, groom and even jockey Cristophe Soumillon as each week one of them is uploading a new video with his horse enjoying his retirement in paddock with other horse or simply riding him out in the seaside. I wish that every racehorse would get as much love as Cirrus is having after doing the job they are created for. After this parade, Olympic and para-Olympic medal winners had their parade in the parade ring. Stobart Jockeys championship winners were not forgotten and Josephine Gordon had her mementoes given in front of the stands as British Champion Apprentice and Jim Crowley was greeted as a Champion jockey. After amazing opening ceremony, weather became much more welcoming with much more sunshine and only very light breeze, horses for the first race been led up in the paddock.
Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup (Group 2) David Simcock’s trained 7-year-old gelding showed his class here, while 4/6 Fav Order of St George finished just fourth behind the post. This just showed, that only 13 days of rest and travelling back and forth to France was clearly not enough rest to win the 2mile long race on the good ground at Ascot. It is a shame that Simple Verse could not prove that she is better than boys and finished only third. In my opinion, jockey was not the best choice here. Andrea Atzeni done a good job on her by winning last year’s St Leger in Doncaster and Fillies Stakes in Ascot and I am surprised why he was not recruited for the job as he was not booked for any other ride in this race.
Qipco British Champions Series Sprint Stakes (Group 1) Tom Queally would not have stayed to win all the races aboard Frankel if he wasn;t good enough. Here he showed his class on the James Fanshawe trained gelding The Tin Man (odds 13/2). Victory for this 4-year-old gelding was very important for Newsells Park stud, as he is by their stallion Equiano. My pick of the race Signs of Blessing finished only fourth, as he looked very close to the victory if the finish post would have been about 50 yards closer than it was. Shame of John Gosden’s only once beaten colt Shalaa, as he looked magnificent on the day, but probably the field this time was too strong for him. Quiet Reflection and Mecca’s Angel did not show their up to their best here either, but definitely helped to create the strong field of sprinters. Nevertheless, the winner looked impressive!
Qipco British Champion Series Fillies and Mares Stakes (Group 1) A race over 2000meters that was held for 3-year-old and older fillies in the thirteen runners field. I was lucky enough to be walking around with Harriet Fuller who is writing for The Sun magazine racing section and we had a great look at the horses while standing in the pre-parade ring; I always admired John Gosden as a trainer and always been great believer in horses trained by him. I was very lucky to stand in the pre-parade ring on the day, when he walked in with his owners after saddling a mare and one of the owners just said ‘I just want her to come back home safe and sound. This is all we need today.’ I took this as good omen, but had no bet, as it usually brings bad luck and horses I lay bets on do not win. Well, a 4-year-old Dubawi daughter Journey, ridden by Frankie Dettori came back home safe and sound, I would say really safe as she finished a few lengths in front of other contenders. And yes, the crowd loves Frankie Dettori, and they do love his flying dismount more, so most of the people were rushing to the parade ring just so see and how he jumps off the horse! I was impressed by Journey, but also felt a bit sorry for Dermot Weld trained Zhukova as she looked quite impressive before the start, but only managed to finish 7th.
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1) Only the fourth race brings racing glory to O’Brien and Ryan Moore. 7/4 Favourite Minding brings victory quite easily, whithWilliam Buick ridding Ribchester coming second. Godolphin must have felt a bit bitter, as a win for Ribchester would have been easy victory of Champion owner of the year. Now, it will take a bit of time again to find out who will be Owner of the Year. However, Minding is just a completely classy horse who deserved the victory. Finishing third to Almanzor in Irish Champions Stakes a month ago showed how good she is, and winning Queen Elizabeth just brought extra cherry on the cake or in other words her impressive racing career.
Qipco Champion Stakes (British Champions Middle Distance) (Group 1) What a racecard here. It just looked amazing, and probably more impressive than the Arc’s card thirteen days ago. Irish Derby winner Jack Hobbs (2015), who sustained a pelvic injury and was not racing for a while, did look impressive on the day. Found, Arc winner and filly who was not afraid to beat Golden Horn last year. And of course, French raider Almanzor, the three-year-old colt out of only 18 progenies given stallion Wootton Bassett. Leaving the fact, that this stallion is not very popular, Almanzor must have looked pretty good in 2014 Arqana Sales as he was bought for 100,000euros. Luckily, he was absolutely worth every penny of it as his racing career is quite impressive and he ends 2016 season by easily beating Found and Jack Hobbs here on Champions Day in Ascot. It was great to see this amazing horse winning the biggest prize of the day under brilliant ride of Cristophe Soumillon. Also, it was great to see his wife taking the kids and taking them to walk back with Almanzor to the winning enclosures.
Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored By Qipco) This stunning raceday has finished with 12/1 outsider Yuften winning Balmoral handicap under the ride of Andrea Atzeni. Remarkable came second and Firmament was third. Finish was very close and took a lot of shouting from fairly drunk crowd. Meeting ended with Afterparty inside the main building, with Sara Cox and Sigala appearance. All in all, all the racemakers had a great day and I am sure I will be working as a racemaker again sometime soon!
Interivew with Megan Devine 1) How did you get into horse racing? I started taking riding lessons at a small urban barn on Long Island, NY when I was 7 and grew up going to the races at Belmont and Saratoga. I rode the show jumpers competitively in high school and college, and attended the University of Louisville from 2010 to 2014, where I made a ton of great connections in the Horse Capital of the World. I added to my knowledge of horses and equestrian through my classes, going to sales, visiting farms, attending the races and galloping horses. I started working for the NBC Sports horse racing broadcasts in 2012 as a production assistant and for TVG at Keeneland in 2014.
2) Can you explain to people what your job is? I’m an on-air talent for horse racing. I’m the analyst and sideline reporter for the racetrack, so I study the races, make predictions, comment on what I see in the paddock before the race and conduct interviews with connections of the horses. I most recently worked at Ellis Park for their 2016 meet and the 2016 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park. I did a few on-air hits for TVG during the past couple of meets at Keeneland, as well. Before I was in front of the camera, I worked behind the scenes as a production assistant and field producer for NBC Sports during their horse racing broadcasts. I spotted horses during morning workouts, directed cameras and coordinated shots or interviews with trainers or jockeys. 3) Why do you love your job and what’s so different about it?
4) Who has been your favourite horse to watch and why?
What’s there not to like about my job!? I get to be around world class horses and horsemen. Horse racing is so exciting and constantly produces fairytale storylines. It’s safe to say there’s never a dull moment. I have to be informed about the horses, trainers, jockeys, events, and try to convey the best information to the betting public. As a handicapper, I want to be correct and find value in the horses I choose. As a reporter, I want to highlight significant stories and provide entertaining news to the audience. And as a fan, I want to get other people excited about horse racing by telling them about these amazing events, people, and most importantly, horses.
American Pharoah. My job at NBC allowed me to be up close and personal with him during the entire Triple Crown, the Haskell, the Travers and the Breeders’ Cup. I was even able to be one of the few people in the barn the morning after he won the Breeders’ Cup Classic and at Coolmore the day he retired. He’s a once in a lifetime horse and a catalyst for our sport, which is impressive enough. But being so close and so involved during those events made him really special for me.
5) What’s been your most memorable moment in racing? It’s hard to choose! Witnessing a Triple Crown winner, a Grand Slam winner and being a part of multiple Emmy nominated NBC broadcasts. It was very memorable for me to interview one of my best friends, Liam Benson, on TVG when he won his first race at Keeneland with Expected Ruler. 6) What are your future plans? I’ve been hired as the new on-air talent at Santa Anita! My first weekend will consist of 7 Graded Stakes, some of which are Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In races and then the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Championships at the end of the month. I’m really looking forward to my experience at Santa Anita. Eventually, I’d like to be one of the on-air horse racing broadcasters on NBC, and given my experience, a part of their equestrian and polo events, as well. Horse sports are by far my favorite, but I’m open to other sports, too. I played soccer and track & field since I was very young, but some of my other favorites include rugby, baseball, basketball, football and cycling. I’m a diverse sports fan!
7) For those not in the horse racing industry, what’s your advice for them looking to get into it? There are so many exciting opportunities that are coming about. America’s Best Racing does a great job of providing information to fans, Equestricon will be happening in 2017 and the horse racing broadcasts on NBC provide excellent coverage of horse racing for fans of any level. There are plenty of online publications or sites that provide learning opportunities. It’s important to find ways to get involved where you can. If you’re interested in betting, go to the track and learn to handicap the races. If you’re interested in the horses, see if you can get involved with a farm or trainer and work with them. Whatever it is that you’d like to do, you have to put yourself out there and most importantly, word hard and ask questions!
UAE Racing Is Back! The UAE racing season is officially back as of the 28th October 2016. We’ve spoken to a number of UAE racing connections about the upcoming season including the Jebel Ali team, lead by Dhruba Selvaratnam who will kick off the season on the last Friday of October.
The Jebel Ali Stars! The Jebel Ali team of Dhruba Selvaratnam & HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum will be looking for a good start to the season following on from a sensational Golden Shaheen performance from Morawij to finish third and is one that the team are extremely hopeful of coming into the new campaign. Along with Morawij (pictured right) the team at Jebel Ali Stables are looking to build on last year’s success with the addition of new horses from America where the likes of Market Rally & Top Clearance were pounced upon last season by Dhruba. The later should be a contender for Dubai World Cup Carnival after an impressive victory over Godolphin’s American Hope who never really materialised into the prospects that Godolphin were looking for. After a summers rest in the emirate Top Clearance will be more than rested and raring to go for his upcoming campaign and should be in the Meydan winners circle on several occasions.
Racing In The UAE Racing in the UAE resumes once again on Friday, with meetings being scheduled throughout the Emirates. The main focus of the season, Dubai World Cup will once again be the curtain closer on what is set to be another amazing seasons racing in the desert. This season calendar includes 51 scheduled meetings starting in October and climaxing once again at Meydan on the last Saturday of March. The season highlights include the starting of the Dubai World Cup Carnival on January 5th, 2017 which concludes on world cup night, however there’s plenty more group action outside of Meydan including the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile & the Group 1 Presidents Cup at Abu Dhabi for purebred Arabians. Racing in the UAE is FREE for all spectators, for the duration of the season across the countries racecourse’s (excluding Dubai World Cup Night). All of the UAE’S Racing information can be found at www.emiratesracing.com or on the ERA app on iPhone and Android devices.
10 To Follow For The Upcoming UAE Season! Stephen Molyneux Presenter and Producer at Dubai Racing Channel, also booksrides for UAE jockey’s Richie Mullen & Adrie De Vries. BLUFF (Dhruba Selvaratnam) Dhruba Selvaratnam’s shopping trip to America last summer largely proved to be a fruitful one, but it could be that this season they do even better having now had time to acclimatise fully. Sadly, we won’t see Market Rally this season, but Bluff, who was also on that same American plane, looks capable of graduating up the ladder having proven to be a bit of a handful last season. It his reported that he has calmed down a lot over the summer (gelded in that time), and hopefully now he can build on the promise he has shown in Dubai, twice second including behind Mizbah on his final outing. He stays well and I am sure Selvaratnam will have his eye on the Jebel Ali Stakes for him.
JUST PRETEND (Satish Seemar) Just Pretend is a big raw gangly horse who can be expected to win a maiden in the opening weeks of the season. He has only had the two starts, hitting the frame in both of them, and whilst the form of his most recent run when second to Rockley isn’t the most solid, it did come amidst lingering greenness that will hopefully be a thing of the past with a summer under his belt. He will probably need further than a mile in time, and the maidens at Meydan should be quite competitive this year given the increased prize money on offer, but it will still come as a surprise where he not to win one on route to what should be better things.
OKIMONO (Doug Watson) A 7-y-o with just three runs under his belt wouldn’t be a natural choice for a horse to follow but, and it’s a big but, if Okimono does make it back to the track there is no doubt he can win off his mark of 86. Second to Genius Step on his debut in 2011, he wasn’t seen again until the Boxing Day of 2014 and he certainly paid for a few peoples Christmases when landing a (weak) maiden with the minimum of fuss. Off for the rest of the season, he reappeared on the opening day of the last campaign and it was a victorious return (we at least know he goes well fresh!), beating Mushaakis, who ended the season 25 lb’s higher, by three-quarters of a length. Obviously another issue has kept him off the track again since then but hopefully Doug Waston’s patience will be rewarded at some point.
BUSATTO (Doug Watson) The Doug Watson yard is likely to be jammed full of horses with potential, and perhaps the imposing Busatto isn’t the most obvious one, particularly as he won twice last season and is now rated 13 lb higher, but his demeanor, and the fact he has still only had four starts on dirt, mark him down as one to follow, perhaps even all the way up to pattern company. His head-strong nature did nullify his progression having won a pair of handicaps, as too did the stiff nature of the competition against the likes of Forjatt and Haatheq, but with a Dubai summer of sun on his back, and hopefully the becalming of his natural instincts, he should have more wins in him.
LOS BARBADOS (Ali Jan) There aren’t many sons of Galileo doing the rounds in Dubai but Los Barbados is one of them and he should be repaying the patient approach shown in him by his connections. Formerly trained by Fawzi Nass who still owns a share, Los Barbados has made the long journey (about ten yards) to the Ali Jan stable who is undoubtedly the most underrated trainer in Dubai. A maiden winner for Aidan O’Brien (by 11 lengths), he arrived in Dubai with relatively few miles on the clock and, on paper at least, it appears it was a bit of rush to get him to the track, racing just twice at Jebel Ali’s final two meetings of the season. The latter of those efforts was a highly commendable second to Forjatt, and whilst he has gone up 6 lb as a result of that, it’s likely he would have been plying his trade in Carnival events sooner rather than later anyway. That said, there are still plenty of races for him at Jebel Ali and expect to see him go well this season.
MISTER PARMA (Satish Seemar) You can’t do more than win on your first start in Dubai and that’s exactly what Mister Parma did for The Parmar Family at Meydan in February. Not disgraced in just the one outing in the UK, Mister Parma was gelded before lining up in a maiden that wasn’t exactly strong on paper but he did the job well and the experience will only have done him the world of good. A mark of 75 is about par for a maiden winner in Dubai, and whilst perhaps you would like to see them with a bit more experience under their belts before lining up in a dirt handicap, at some point this season Mister Parma will surely be of interest for a yard bidding to put behind them a quiet 2015/16 season.
BRABBHAM (Ahmad bin Harmash) Brabbham is a big horse who really found his stride in the second half of the season, winning three on the bounce and a defeat more recently needn’t mean the end of his progression. Formerly trained in the States, he arrived with a mark of 85, which has subsequently proven to be quite accurate, but not before it had dropped to 69 where his winning spree began. It simply seemed a case of him settling in, admittedly having quite a bit of racing for a horse in his first season in Dubai, but the break will have done him and he should return with more improvement in him. As I mentioned he is a big horse, and it will be no surprise where he to have developed physically over the summer.
TOBACO (Doug Watson) Some horses just aren’t built to make 2-y-o’s, or 3-y-o’s, or in Tobaco’s case 4-y-o’s, and that is beauty of racing here in Dubai in that we do get to see plenty of late-maturing sorts blossom as others would ordinarily be crying enough. Hopefully Tobaco fits that brief, and there was certainly signs he was getting to grips with the racing game last season in winning his final two starts, only narrowly, but with the feeling there was plenty more in his pipe. Lest we not forget he was favourite before being withdrawn in the maiden Polar River won, that his intended debut, then he finished second twice behind Sky Jockey (not a great recommendation) and Blue Creek (a better one!). His latest victory over Baroot saw his mark rise just 5 lb to 79, and given Baroot won next time and is now 10 lb higher himself, Tobaco simply looks a very well handicapped horse.
HAMMERINDOWN (Dhruba Selvaratnam)
MAKZON (Ahmad bin Harmash)
This one is a bit left field and there is every chance he is useless, as a mark of 57 suggests, but Hammerindown has one piece of form that suggests he is marginally better than useless, and if that is the case, then he can at the very least win a handicap. Not really sighted in maidens won by Polar River and Blue Creek on his first two starts, Hammerindown began to show more as the competition diluted, recording his best effort when third to Tobaco on his fourth outing. That certainly got me interested as he ran in a handicap on his final start only for him to show very little in a weak race won by Moosir, but that can hopefully be put down to inexperience and that this season we will see the real Hammerindown, if indeed a real one exists. He was entered at the opening meeting at Jebel Ali so we could know our fate with this one very soon!
Makzon may do most of his racing at Abu Dhabi, in which case he is no use to you at all as a horse to follow given there is no betting on Abu Dhabi, but he is selected in the belief he will be a Carnival turf horse, indeed already rated 100 and it’s not as if he is useless on dirt either. He was runner-up at Meydan on his first two starts for the yard, on both occasions not looking at ease on the surface but really hitting top gear at the death to chase home Piepowder Court and Mizbah respectively. He then won twice at Abu Dhabi by a combined total of 9 lengths (not easy to win by wide margins there) before he was hiked up in class to contest the Jebel Ali Stakes. His performance there almost needed to be seen to be believed, completely tailed off at one point but flying home once he hit the hill to finishing fourth behind Haatheq. His runs on dirt have all been very similar, and they do suggest he is better on turf, but he is another big horse with more improvement in him for the yard this season.
Tattersalls Book One: Yearlings To Follow By Galileo: Lot 109: A full Sister to Three times Gr.1 winner Highland Reel & Derby placed Idaho. Purchased by De Burgh / James Harron Bloodstock for £625,000. Lot 309: A full Sister to Gr.3 winner Sir Isaac ton & Oaks placed Secret Gesture.
New-
Lot 441: A Filly by Aleagueoftheirown. This one is a full sister to 3x Gr.1 winner Alice Springs. By Sea The Stars: Lot 14: A colt out of Divine Authority who is the dam of Gr.2 winning Sprinter Muthmir. Was purchased by BBA Ireland for £120,000 Guineas. Lot 104: A Colt by Hoity Toity who is the dam of former 2x Gr.1 winning Filly Lillie Langtry. Who herself is the dam of Minding. Sold for £450,000 to Roger Varian. Lot 302: A Colt by Gr.2 winning Rock of Gibraltar mare Sea of Heartbreak. Purchased by Rabbah Bloodstock for £120,000. By Frankel: Lot 382: A full Brother to multiple Gr.1 winner Zoffany. MV Magnier bought this Colt for £1.1m. Lot 5: A Half Sister to 2x Gr.1 winner Speedy Boarding. Shadwell Stud purchased this Filly for £500,000. Lot 475: A Colt out of English & Irish 1000 Guineas & Five time Gr.1 winner Attraction. Shadwell Stud bought this Colt for a huge £1.6m. Lot 522: A Filly out of Darshaan Mare Cassydora. This one is a full Sister to Gr.1 Prix Marcel Boussac fourth Toulifaut. Moyglare Stud were the buyer for £900,000.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Dirt)
Connochie Corner
A race that always throws up a very good winner. Gormley won the same race in his preparation that last season’s winner Nyquist did last year. He won that race in emphatic style and looked a future superstar in the making. Klimt had no answer for Gormley last time when an-odds on favourite and I can’t see him reversing the form around here. Practical Joke looks a promising colt in he making but was a hard fought winner last time but could be dangerous if he has improved since that win. Not This Time was a good winner of a Grade 3 last time at Churchill Downs and has a progressive profile. This race is sure to throw up a very good horse and usually the ante-post favourite fort the Kentucky Derby and I’m hoping GORMLEY can prove how good he is and storm to a brilliant win.
Breeders’ Cup Classic (Dirt) California Chrome has been a terrific horse for connections and has captured the hearts of racing fans all around the world. He has the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Dubai World Cup on his CV But the illustrious Breeders’ Cup Classic is missing. He finished a good third in the “Classic” in 2014 behind Bayern when things didn’t quite go to plan. This year California Chrome has looked a different horse and has looked very close to unbeatable. His wins over Dortmund and Beholder recently were breath taking and it will take a monster to beat him in this years Breeders’ Cup Classic. Could that “Monster” come in the shape of the Bob Baffert trained, Arrogate. Arrogate looked a potential superstar when winning the Travers Stakes in a record time. That performance was Frankelesque and a repeat of that performance would see him serve it up to California Chrome. Frosted is another brilliant racehorse and on his day has the ability to win this race but he was no match for California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup when very well backed and it would be a small shock if he were to take this prestigious prize. This seasons Arc winner Found has already proved she’s as good on American soil when beating the top-class Golden Horn in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last year. This year she has entries in both the Turf and Classic. It would be a small shock if she took up her engagement in this contest against the best dirt horses in the world without any dirt experience but she is very talented and would need respect. Nyquist looked a world-beater at the beginning of the year when winning the Kentucky Derby but has been bitterly disappointing since then. Arrogate could be a monster and is the unknown in this years race. He needs plenty of respect for last years winning trainer who is bidding for a third Breeders Cup Classic in a row. CALIFORNIA CHROME is pretty hard to get away from in this years race. He’s looked a more complete animal this year and will take a lot of beating. Selection: California Chrome
Breeders’ Cup (Turf) Flintshire is a brilliant racehorse who has been placed in Arc De Triomphe’s but has looked better than ever since moved to America and comes here with very strong claims. Ectot beat Flintshire emphatically last time out but that was on soft ground and it’s unlikely he’ll get those conditions here. Last years winner Found has already had an excellent season already and she will have an excellent chance of recording back to back wins in this race. Aiden O’Brien also has globetrotter Highland Reel in the race who has also had a decent year with success in the King George the highlight. He also has the ability to play a hand in this. Erupt was a good winner of the Canadian International last time and that form would see him play a key hand in this. A very intriguing affair but I can’t see past the brilliant FLINTSHIRE who has made waves since arriving in America (bar his blimp on soft ground) and I think he will win another big one. Found arrives in a lot better from than she did this time last year when she defeated Arc winner Golden Horn and she commands serious respect in this race. Selection: Flintshire
Breeders’ Cup Mile (Turf) This year’s race is shaping into the race of the meeting with the equally brilliant Limato and Tepin set to go head to head. Limato is an outstanding horse and is effective over 5f to 1m, which should aid his cause in this race as it’s a test of speed and stamina. He is yet to win over a mile but this isn’t the most demanding of mile contests and the race should play to his strengths. Tepin is another very talented racehorse who lit up Royal Ascot this year with a brilliant success on soft ground in the Queen Anne. Tepin comes into this contest on the back of a shock defeat last time which isn’t ideal but she won this race last season and is arguably better this year than she was last season. Alice Springs is another solid contender from Europe who is a triple Grade 1 winner this year and thrives on a fast ground and ran a creditable race in the fillies juvenile race at this meeting last year and has to be respected for top connections. Mondialiste seems to come alive when racing in America and ran a cracker in this contest last season. An eagerly awaited contest that will suit the brilliant LIMATO down to the ground. The forecast quick ground should suit and he comes into this contest better than ever. Unlike his main rival and short priced favourite who got beat last time out in a tactical affair but it’s far from the perfect preparation. Alice Springs is a very good filly who is well suited to a fast run mile and needs the utmost of respect. Selection: Limato
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare (Turf) Lady Eli looked a superstar before laminitis (potentially fatal hoof disease) ruled her out for over a year. It was brilliant to see her win a Grade 1 lately and she comes into the race slowly coming to the boil. Pleascach is a talented filly who still holds an entry in this contest and based on her return to action recently in France she would hold a strong chance. Irish Oaks winner Seventh Heaven holds an entry and is a very talented filly but I’m not sure this contest would play to her strengths and she was disappointing on Champions Day. Sea Calisi won a Grade 1 at Arlington in emphatic style from a high draw. That from has worked out well with the second Al’s Gal winning her next two starts including the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. A race that may revolve around the brilliant LADY ELI, who looks to be reaching peak form after her battle with laminitis. It will be great to see her win this race after a hard year off the track. Sea Calisi may pose the biggest danger to her if everything drops right. Selection: Lady Eli
The Thoroughbred Club Do you have a passion for the thoroughbred industry? Do you want to be actively involved? And are you aged 16-30? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, you should consider becoming a member of The Thoroughbred Club! The Thoroughbred Club offers young people an insight into the worlds of both racing and breeding. To achieve this, and to create an opportunity for networking with like-minded people, we run many events each year. For example, 2016 saw members go behind the scenes at the Royal Studs, Dalham Hall Stud and Dan Skelton’s yard as well as attending educational seminars run by the likes of the BHA and the TBA. These would be fantastic ways to increase your knowledge of bloodstock and, if you are interested in a career in the industry, gave some valuable experience to mention on a CV or in an interview. On 14th-15th November TTC is running its annual Careers Course. This will comprise a series of workshops and presentations from industry experts in a wide variety of areas, as well as an evening reception. Bookings are now open for both members and non-members. With full membership comes many other benefits alongside these key events. Some racecourses such as Ascot have teamed up with TTC to offer discounted or free tickets. Members can also experience the thrill of owning racehorses and broodmares. The Club currently has 3 horses in training (2 flat and 1 NH) which members can follow and watch, with updates being provided by their trainers regularly via blog posts. This is a great way to lift the veil on the horseracing industry. The best part? If you are aged 16-22 full membership costs just £35 per year, after this it is £50 per year. But if you just want to try it out first, associate membership is free for 6 months! More information about the Club can be found on the website www.thethoroughbredclub.co.uk or by contacting the Club Executive Tallulah Lewis (info@thethoroughbredclub.co.uk) or Club Ambassador Grace Smyth via Facebook.